Of People and Places

A little illustration inspired by the bus ride from Kathgodam to Nainital. I saw lovely mountain streams, valleys of giant trees and felt immensely at peace with myself. I was travelling solo, surrounded by a large family from Delhi. The children were ill-mannered and noisy.The man next to me was apologetic. "I usually come with my bike gang - we all ride royal enfield bikes." He said ruefully, as if regretting his boisterous family and longing for the quiet companionship of his fellow bikers on the sun kissed roads. And again, on the shared tempo rides from Nainital to Bhimtal and Naukuchiyatal - these pines greeted me,  over spectacular views of the mountains,  while we turned the hairpin bends at breakneck speed! I wondered what it would be like to just go, descend into the valley and bask in the sun as the clear mountain stream rushed past me without a care in the world. Wishful thinking! So, I turned to art.And decided that it makes for a perfect illustrati...

As the morning unfolds, the Jama Masjid looks gorgeous. Close to the Nainital lake, it sits there glinting in the winter sun, framed by the mountains that surround Nainital. I have spent the morning loitering around the lake and sit down to sketch. In the pleasant sunlight, two boys are flying a kite. In the Flatts ( where there is a playground), NCC cadets are practicing. The sky is clear and bright. What more can one want. Slowly the boys with the kite come closer, curious to see what I am drawing.One of the boys wants to see it. I tell him, it isn't finished yet, and promise to show it once it is done. Finally when I do show him, full of disclaimers, saying that the perspective is wrong, that it looks quite wonky and not quite like the Masjid, he nods sagely and says, " Koyi nahi didi. Agar aap hamare school ke drawing competition mein bhaag leti to aapko first prize milta.* " Kids can be really kind, sometimes. (* It's ok, didi. If you had taken pa...

The way to Nainital from Kathgodam. Uttarakhand welcomed me with her arms wide open, as the bus turned yet another hairpin bend. Her pines glistened in the winter sun and the small mountain streams twinkled at me like her two merry eyes.   Two places have filled me with infinite delight because of their tininess – Gokarna and Nainital.   I cannot describe what I felt when I finally reached the Tallital bus stand.The Naini lake stood there in majesty with the town all around her. From the cycle rickshaw that I sat in, I drank in all the beauty surrounding me. Truly you do not  know what sunlight means to you unless you are out on a winter’s day in the hills. And the sun is so caressing, it fills you with warmth. Picture if you can a tiny teardrop of water, surrounded by higgledy-piggledy houses amid tall trees. Add to that a gloriously clear baby blue sky with dreamy clouds. That is what I saw on the ropeway. It must be so beautiful to see it in the night....